Apparatus for moistening shoes.



J. H JOHNSON. APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING SHOES. APPLIOATI'ON FILED MAY 23,1912.

1,1 1?,8% Patented N0v.17,1914.

LWM 2; a

STATES PTENT CE.

JOY-IN H. JOHNSON, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS-SIGNMENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATER-SON, NEVJ JERSEY,

A CGKEGRATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING SHOES.

Application filed May 23, 1913.

To all III/L077} it may concern Be it known that 1, Joint H. JOHNSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at lllanchester, in the county ofHillsboro and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain Improvementsin Apparatus for Mois tening Shoes, of which the following description,in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likereference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in theseveral figures.

In connection with the pulling-over and lasting operations on boots andshoes it has been found very advantageous to moisten, by means of steamor vapor, the parts of the shoe that are pulled or stretched mostseverely during these operations. These parts are, of course, the toeand vamp portions of the upper, although it has also been proposed totreat the heel portions of the upper in a. similar manner. lVhilevarious forms of apparatus for steaming the toes of shoes have gone intogeneral use, these devices are all, so far as I have been ablecto learn,open to the objection that it is almost impossible to use them withoutwetting the insoles and the lasts, and that great care must be exercisedin order to avoid burning and discoloring the upper stock. The lasts, ofcourse, are very likely to split or check if the moisture penetratesinto the wood; and most insoles will either shrink when moistened withsteam or hot vapor or will become very brittle on drying out after beingmoistened in this manner. Uppers made from certain grades of stock alsorequire considerable care in handling since, if subjected. to vapor attoo high a temperature they will shrivel up and burn, or if hot water isspattered on then) it will burn the stock and will spotcolored leathers.

It is an important object of this invention to devise a moisteningapparatus of the character above indicated that will avoid.

these objections. To this end I have de signed a novel form of apparatusand have devised a peculiar construction of nozzle which, in thepreferred form, is adapted to project foetwecn the last and the upper ofthe shoe and to direct steam or vapor against the part of the uppermaterial which it is desired to moisten, while protecting the last andother portions of the shoe from contact with the steam or vapor.

Referring now to the accompanying draw Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Serial No. 769,434.

ings, Figure 1 shows in front elevation an apparatus constructed inaccordance with the present invention and designed particularly formoistening the toes of shoes preparatory to lasting them; and Fig. 2 isa sectional view of the apparatus taken on the plane indicated by theline 28. Fig. 1, the shoe rest being shown in side elevation.

The apparatus shown comprises a casing 2 supporting on its upper sidetwo nozzles. Each of .these nozzles consists of a body l, having a basethat is tapped to receive a nipple 6 by which it is connected to thecasing, and a hollow semi-cylindrical portion inclined forwardly at aconsiderable angle and constituting the back wall of the nozzle.

This wall is curved forwardly at its upperend and is rounded to fitunder the toe portion of a partly lasted shoe. The nozzle also has afront wall 8 that is removably secured to the body 4 by means of twoscrews 10, and this wall is concaved or recessed to receive the toeportion of a last, as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 2.The two walls of the nozzle are spaced apart, to atford a free passagefor steam or vapor between them and they unite at their upper ends toform a thin overhanging lip that is adapted to fit snugly between thetoe of the last and the toe portion of the upper of a shoe. This lip isapcrtured on its upper side, as indicated at 12, to direct the steam orvapor passing through the nozzle against the under surface of the upper,the lower wall of the lip being impert'orate so that it will protect thelast from'contact with the vapor or any water of condensation.

In the apparatus shown in the drawings only two nozzles are provided,since this number is sufficient for an apparatus designed to be used inconnection with the lasting machine; but obviously any desired number ofnozzles may be employed, and they may be modified in shape to meetparticular conditions.

In order to support the shoes forthe moisteningoperation ashoe rest isprovided consisting in the form shown of three metal straps 14, eachsecured to the side of the casing 2 by means of screws 16, and a fourthstrap 18 that is riveted to the upcr ends of the straps 14: and is bentbetween the ad jacent members 14 to form depressed portions in which theshoe may convenlently rest, as shown in Fig. 2. The supports 14 areinclined away from the casing 2 at an angle such that thetoes of theshoes Will he properlypresented to the nozzles of the apparatus. v 5 inorder to supply steam-to the casing a 20 is extended longitudinallythrough and is secured by the dismal nuts washers necessary toinahesteani-tight one end of the pipe being capped, as shown at Thispipe is perforated on its lower side as indicated at to admit steam intothe casing and a drip pipe 20, threaded n the bottom of the casing,carries away :11 water that may condense Within. 15 the casing. Steammay be supplied to the casing from any eom'enient source, b ii delivereddirectly from a supply -v3ll1 1t slmuld be conducted to the ca. lng at avery lei. pressure in order to avoid burning the uppe ate-rial. In thisconnectiozu however, it'shou'ld be noted that, with the pres entarrangement, the steam does not come in direct contact with the upperleather but nnist first pass through the liningand toe sti'liener sothat much of the danger o1 burning. the upper leather that isexperienced uitlrother devices is avoided. It is preferable to have thesteam supplied at such a low' 1 ssure that, when it issues from thedelivery openings 12 it will not be steam, as that term is used in atechnical sense, but will he merely a Warm moist vapor. It steam must beused at comparatively high pressures for this work it usually will bepreferable to have the dr'p pipe .26 project into the body of the cash 2to a height above the level of the apertui :s 24. in the steam inletpipe 20 so as it is discharged from mat the steam, the inlet pipe. willbe delivered into water.

The eoor rising from the body of Water in the shoe.

l't is obvious that, in the ar..'angein.ent

own. the casing 2 acts chiefly as s pport r'or tl nozzles and the shoerest and as a conduit for the steam or vapor that is to be .L intreating the shoes. Consequently, this member may be replaced by anyequivale t device, as for instance by a steam pipe ring a continuationof the connections by h steam is conducted to the apparatus.

using the apparatus in connection with i machine, the sides and heel ofa are first lasted and the shoe is then "3 phi d on the rest 18 the toeportion of the last being positioned under the l p of the nozzle Whilethe toe portion of thelupper of the shoe rests. on the nozzle. The steamor vapor emitted through the apertures 12 pen.-

63 BtltZLiQS the upper material and moistens an softens it so that itcan be easily Worked over the bottom of the last and disposed smoothlyabout the toe of the man has two shoes in the apparatus Cally the Theapertures in the nont 1e casing will travel. through the nozzlestoUsually the worle; practimisses zles are so located that they direct thevapor on to those port-ions only of the upper that it is desired tosoften. The vapor finds its Way out along the toe of the shoe underlining and other part of the upper and d not come in cont-act witheither the last, insolo or other part of time shoe that coul" be damagedby it. A further r arrangement is that very ll into the room. .v;

Any Water of condensation that 7 the nozzles drains into the casing;carried away. by the drip pipe 26. lit the a ertures l2 heconie cloggedey cleaned out readily by IGIHGVHI 10 and t .ing the front wall 0 zle."it has also been found. advent use an apparatus si iilar to sci-bothone having the same characteristics, to moisten the toe portions orshoes just before they are pulled over. This is particularly true Wherethe independent system of lasting is followed as distinguished from theteam system, since in the independent system the shoes are usuallyassembled several days before they reach the pulling-over machine and,inth'e meantime, even the cement or gum used in the stiiieners hasbecome thoroughly dry. A 1noisten ing apparatus designed to be used witha pulling-over machine should, however, be able to accommodate moreshoes" than an apparatus designed for use with a lasting machine, onecapable of handling four shoes at once being Well adapted for the formerrnachine.

it will he readily understood that: While it havedisclosed the best formthe invention of which I am at present aware. this dis" closure is madeby way of illustration rather than limitation; and that the apparatus issusceptible of many changes While still employing the same principlesand While still ters Patent oi the United States is:

1. In an apparatus for moistening the toe of a shoe while the last is inthe shoe, a. nozzle shaped to extend between the toe oi the last and theupper of the shoe on the last and todirect vapor against the under sideof the toe portion of the upper.

2. In an apparatus for moistening the ' toe of a shoe while the 'iast isin it, a nozzle shaped'to extend over the toe of the last and under theupper of the shoe, said nozzle being apertured in the wall next to the1130 per to direct vapor against the under side of the upper.

3. in an apparaus for moistening tie toe of a shoe While toe i is theshoe a nozzle h rforate "front wall

